This invention relates to a door lock set having a ket slot within the doorknob, wherein the key lock slot is illuminated from within the doorknob.
It is frequently a cause for some aggravation when one approaches a building entry door in the dark and has difficulty locating the key slot to unlock the entry door. More than aggravation, it may be a source of considerable discomfort where the entry door is not protected from the elements and the weather is inclement.
On occasions, it may be desirable to be able to enter a building quickly at night from a safety standpoint. Difficulty in one's ability to insert the key in the lock is increased when one is under some apprehension for his or her safety, for example.
A principal object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective means for illuminating a doorknob key slot, to facilitate the insertion of the key therein.
Another object of this invention is provide such doorknob illuminating means wherein the illumination may be provided either continuously or selectively.
A further object of this invention is to provide such doorknob illuminating means which may be used with various types of door lock sets, and which may be readily and economically installed on existing entryway doors.
These object are accomplished with a door lock set, for use with an entry door to an enclosure, which includes a stem which passes transversely through the door to actuate the door latch, wherein the stem encloses a key lock mechanism and includes a key slot face at its outer end. A translucent doorknob has a central bore to be received over the stem, with the keyslot face being framed by the translucent knob. The knob is rotatably secured to the stem. The knob has at least one cavity opening to its inner face; and an electrically powered illuminating device is disposed within that cavity to project light to the front face of the knob. Electric conductors are connected to the illuminating device and pass out of the knob cavity for connection to a source of electric energy.
These objects are also accomplished in a method for illuminating a doorknob lock set which includes the following steps. The existing exterior knob is removed from the stem which extends transversely through the door. A knob is formed from translucent material, with a central door to receive the stem. At least one recess is formed in the knob opening to its interior face; and an electric powered luminating device is mounted within this recess. Electric conductors are connected to the illuminating device to pass from that device out of the knob recess. The translucent knob is mounted on the stem to frame the key slot at its outer end.
The novel features and the advantages of the invention, as well as additional object thereof, will be understood more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.